Load binder



Aug. 28, 1951 HAUBERT 2,566,061 Q I LOAD BINDER Filed June 6, 1946 INVENTOR.

Zea Hauerl Y Patented Aug. 28, ,1951

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE 2,566,061 Loan BINDER iLco Haubert, 'ru1 ,.ok1a. Application times, 1946, seriamat'iese i hifllaims. (01. 5254-178) This invention relates 'to load binders, and its primary object is to "improve the-construction and operation of the load binders disclosed in my Patent No. 2,157,451 dated May 9, "1938. In accordance with the invention, the particular improvements are (1) "a change in the shape of the drum around which "the "chainor-ca-ble is wrapped when "the load binder is tightened, so that a greater and more uniformtake-up "is obtained; (2) a 'changein'theshape of the rock-- ers; (3) eliminating'th'e ears "I9 "of the-patent and changing the position ofthe pinwhichattaches the chain or cable to "the "drum, thereby making is unlikely that loose materlal'will'get in between the chain-attaching"means"andthe clevis; (4) eliminating the chain-engaging teeth 26 and the ridges 22 and "depressions 23 of the patent, in order to make manufacture of the drum much easier; (5) changing the *form of the flanges on the drum soa's'to guide the chain and obviate climbing ofthe'chain'on'the-edges of the "flanges; (6) "a change lnthe locking means, thereby simplifying "the construction'of the drum and eliminating any'unduestrainpn the locking pin, and preventing"movement'of'the lever toward locking position.

The invention further "has"all"the stated objects and practically "all' the"advantages "of the patented load binder, whichit wilrbe unnecessary to explain.

'A further advantage pr "this improved *load binder is that thedrumarid:chainassembly is heavy enough to "hold the load "binder in open position when used vertically. All the operator need do then is to take =-hold-'o'f"the '=hook--on the clevis assembly and" by "reaching up lie-can hook the load binder; to the-chainat'a pointas high as he can reachwithoutrlanger of *the lever falling on his head,'jas is'likely-*tdhappen with theold style load binder.

The invention has other 1 objects "Bilfid *advanita'geswhichwill become apparehtfrom the- -fol- "lowing description of one embodiment of the' invention shown in the accompanying drawings forming 'a part of this specification, said-embodiment corresponding to the "form -of Figs.'-1-"-'5 of theaforesaid' patent. As the description pro- 'ceeds,'it will be clear that the-improvements are also" applicable to -the form'iof Figs-6, 7 *and"8 of the patent.

In said drawings,

Fig; 1 is a sectional -eljevation"of-=the 1irum and part of the lever of my improvcdload binder;

Fig. 2"is an -elevation'orrafs'maller scale showing the improved loadbinder just-as the leveris about to :be' swung"itotighten the loadppart 6f the lev'enb'eingomitted;

Fig. '3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the load binder after the lever has been swung as far 'as possible, most of the lever being omitted;

Fig. 4 is an elevation 'of the preferred locking pin, which may be used when the load binder is self-locked as in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the drum looking at the edges of the two rockers.

Referring particularly to the drawings, my-improved -load binder consists of a lever 10, which is preferably a steel forging, integral with a hollow drum II on which a chain is wound, as will 'be'described, said drum having'a central opening E2 to save weight without sacrificing strength.

The drum is not circular, as in my aforesaid patcut, but is more or less oval withthe longaxi-s of the oval approximately alignedwiththe-lever;

and the shape 'of the opening 12 conforms :to

that of the drum, so that the radial thick ness of the drum is substantially the same allaround, thus obviating any zone of weakness. Integral with the drum are two flanges l3 which are spaced far enough apart to receive between them the chain 20 to be described, and which act as chain guides when the chain is wrapped around the drum. The flanges 13 extend about half way around the drum and are made thicker on'the inside, as indicated at l3a, Fig.1, to prevent the entire chain from entering, that is, the rivets 20a of the chain can not lie between the flanges. Thechainrides on the periphery of the drum at all times when tightened. The result is that the chain is guided along the center line of the drum and will be prevented from climbing on the outer edges of the flanges, and -as soon as slack is taken up in the chain it w'ill stay put. Rockers M are integral with flanges l3 and also serve as attaching ears for a clevis 15 pivoted 'at one end to the rockers by a pivot pin I 5 passed through a bore its; in each rocker. Unlike the rockersof the aforesaid patent, the rockers l4 are symmetrical relative to the axis of bore Ilia. Clevis l5 embraces the drum and the end of the lever 58 where it joins the drum, and permits the drum to pass through it when the load binder is tightened, as a comparison of Figs.'2 and 3-will make clear. An eye ll is swiveled to the free end of the clevis, and chain link [8 connects the eye IT with a hook I9, preferably by means of another eye. Hook I9 is of course attached to one end of a 'load binding chain (not shown) or similar flexible binding element which passes partly or entirely around the. load (not shown) on the truck body, sled, skid or other vehicle.

'A 'fiat link chain 20: isshownas attached to etha'drum. l I: by means of...,a link 2 lvWh1.611.11 ;v Hilfierably similar to each of the links of chain 20. Link M is permanently pivoted upon the drum by means of a pin 22. The flanges [3 are widened to provide attaching cars 23, Fig. 1, to accommodate the pivoted end of link 2!, and the oval shape of the drum is modified as at I20. to provide an inwardly directed projection giving adequate strength near where the load is applied. The periphery of the drum is shaped as at 24 to conform to link 2i. Pin 22 is wholly within the confines of the drum, which causes link 21 to be mostly within the confines of the drum. A pin 25 connects chain 20 permanently or otherwise to link 2!. The other end of chain 20 may be secured to the load-binding chain in any desired way. The groove formed by the periphery of the drum and the flanges i3 is smooth throughout, which is of importance in manufacturing the device. Chain 20 constitutes a flexible non-stretching member, and as explained in the aforesaid patent it may be superseded by a cable or similar member.

The load binder tightens the load by swinging lever ill from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3, as already stated. With the parts in the position of Fig. 3, th load binder is locked, and any pull exerted by the load on the load-binding chain will tend to swing lever I downwardly or toward the load, or in other words, the load itself will tighten the described load binder. The self-locking action of the load binder is more fully explained in the aforesaid patent. As trucks frequently traverse rough roads, and swing at high speed around curves, the described load binder even though locked normally may tend to unlock due to the momentum or inertia of the heavy lever. To prevent any possibility of such unlocking, the clevis 15 has two small aligned bores 23 through which a cotter pin 21 may be thrust when the parts are in the position of Fig. 3. Cotter pin 21 preferably has its small end slightly enlarged as shown to prevent it from working out of the bores 2'6, yet permitting it to be withdrawn manually. The advantages of this locking arrangement are its simplicity and effectiveness. No additional material is required on the drum, and the lever can not move even slightly toward unlocking position because the cotter pin when in bores 26 directly engages the chain 20 where wrapped around the drum, and interlocks with the edges of the chain links. Thus when the load settles, which makes slack in the load-binding chain, the described load binder will remain attached and can not unlock, nor can the lever constantly swing toward unlocking position and thus wear out the locking pin.

It is difiicult to visualize the advantages of the described drum but actual tests with a 76 lb. weight as the load, and readings on scales attached to the lever in each case at the same distance from the center of the trunnions, prove conclusively that the described drum is an important improvement. These tests may be sum marized as follows:

My Patc-nted Load Binder (take-up, 4% m.) At start 94 V2 20 1b. 16 lb. 8 1b. zero Present Load Binder (take-up, 5 in.)

20 lb. 16 1b. 10 lb. 6 lb. Old Style Load Binder (take-up, 4% in.)

18 1b. 17 lb. 14 1b. 8 lb.

Thus it is clear that my improved load binder has a more uniform application of energy tothe ment which consists lever than in the patented load binder and has a greater take-up. As compared with the old style load binder the take-up is far greater and the application of energy, except at the start, is materially less. It should be particularly noticed that I attain these results without sacrificing any of the important advantages of the patented load binder. I Y

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the rockers M are thickened as at l4. This increases the strength of these projecting parts. As the parts are viewed in Fig. 1, bore Hi is about 5 to the left of the axis, shown in dot and dash lines, which passes through the center of pivot pin 22 and through the center of bore 16 The location of bore Hi in the manner shown helps to hold the load binder in locked position, especially if the load-binding chain should get a little slack. Note too that the greater portion of the drum is to the left of the pivot pin l6, and that the lower part of the drum (as viewed in Fig. 1) and the pivot 22 are brought closer to the center line. Thus the cars 19 of the patent are practically eliminated, which obviates interference caused by loose material getting in between said ears and the clevis.

I contemplate making the drum and lever assembly in two forged parts, each consisting of one-half of the drum and one-half of the lever, and then welding the two halves together. This is believed to be less expensive than to forge the entire assembly and afterwards machine it to form the groove around the drum, in which the chain 20 wraps.

Having described my improvements, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A load binder of the type which comprises a lever rigidly secured at one end to a drum, a rigid element pivotally connected at one end to the drum at a point outside the periphery of the drum and having means at the other end facilitating attachmentto a load-binding chain, and a flexible non-stretching element attached at one end to the drum at a point substantially on the opposite side of the drum from the point of connection of the rigid member and adapted to be wrapped around the periphery of the drum when the load binder is tightened; that improvein making the drum generally oval, with the long axis of the oval substantially aligned with the axis of the lever and the major portion of the drum being disposed on one side of the plane lying at right angles to the general plane of the load binder and intersecting the points of attachment of the rigid member and the flexible non-stretching element, said lever being disposed on the opposite side of said plane.

2. A load binder of the type which comprises a lever rigidly attached to a drum, a pair of rockers integral with the drum, a rigid member pivoted at one end to the rockers outside the periphery of the drum, a flexible non-stretching elementattached at one end to the drum substantially on-the opposite side thereof from the .pivotal attachment of the rigid member, said flexible non-stretching element being adapted to be wrapped around'the periphery of the drum when the load binder is tightened; that improvement which consists in making the drum ovalshaped and forming each of the two rockers so as to be symmetrical on opposite sides of the plane lying atright angles to the general plane of the load binder and passing through the point of attachment 7 of the flexible element and the pivot axis of the rigid member, said plane being approximately 5 from the plane which passes through the point of attachment of the flexible elements and is at right angles to the long axis of the oval of the drum, said first-mentioned plane being on the opposite side of the last mentioned plane from the lever.

3. A self-locking load binder of the type which consists of a lever rigidly attached at one end to a hollow drum, a pair of rockers integral with the drum, a rigid member pivoted at one end to the rockers outside the periphery of the drum, a chain attached at one end to the drum on the opposite side thereof from the pivot attachment of the rigid member, said chain being adapted to be wrapped around the periphery of the drum when the load binder is tightened; that improvement which consists in providing a transverse bore in the rigid member near the pivot connection thereof and a locking pin fitting said transverse bore, said locking pin engaging the chain where wrapped around the drum and preventing any movement of the lever toward unlocking position.

LEO HAUBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 166,491 Young Aug. 10, 1875 904,997 Richardson Nov. 24, 1908 2,157,451 Haubert May 9, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 426,957 Great Britain Apr. 11, 1935 

